Keep the ground at a safe distance.

For riders who prefer to have something between their skin and the dirt,
but don't want to wear full-on armor, the POC Joint VPD Air Elbow Pads
deliver. The Joint VPD is a light duty impact-absorbing and
abrasion-fighting pad, with POC's lightweight VPD padding and a non-slip
neoprene sleeve for flexible protection and comfort on rides that
involve both pedaling and serious descending. The hook-and-loop Crash
Retention Strap helps it stay in place when you hit the dirt, and the
stretchy construction lets you ride all day without constriction or
discomfort.

What do you think about this product?

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>Rating: 4

November 17, 2019

Pretty solid

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

4 stars for lacking certification but they are pretty good. I do not have any issues with overheating or pinching but I know others have. Sizing is fine for me. I would definitely try on different pads and see what works for you.

Kyle

>Rating: 2

September 10, 2019

Good POC quality, poor fit/function

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

As other reviewers state, the pads easily slide down. The mediums were too small for me so I got the large. I had to constantly adjust them after every dh run to keep them from totally sliding down to my wrists. I'm on the hunt for some awesome new pads now since I returned these. I'm a big fan of most POC gear, as the quality is top notch. I wish these worked for me. I'm also thinking that a pad that covers more area will serve better in a crash.

Cory D.

>Rating: 2

July 19, 2019

Hard to secure

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Fit:

True to size

Size Bought

Medium

Height

6` 2"

Weight

175 lbs

Pros: Lightweight and comfortable
Cons: On rougher terrain where there is a lot of vibration coming through my arms, the pads tend to slide down to my wrists. I often find myself needing to stop and pull them back up above the elbow.

Dean W.

>Rating: 2

August 17, 2018

Slid down my first DH ride

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Fit:

Runs large

I run medium in all my protective gear. They would slide down quiet a bit in each DH run which was annoying! And they would not fit in my rather loose long sleeve jerseys.

Darien G.

>Rating: 5

September 12, 2017

Great Low Profile Pads

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Like the Air knee pads, I love the lower profile of these elbow pads. They stay in position the whole ride. Sizing, however, is smaller than you’d expect. I generally wear medium sizes but the Large fit me best. I haven’t wrecked with them yet so I can’t say how they’ll protect or stay put.

Cheryl K.

>Rating: 5

July 11, 2017

Great Pads for Light Weight Protection

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Fit:

Runs small

Size Bought

Medium

Height

5` 10"

Weight

150 lbs

Well, I thought I was invincible but ended up with stitches a few too many times in a row. Now I won't hit the trail without these. I just don't want to wear pads but these are super thin and light weight. These run snug and only have a strap on top. They seem like they will work great. I also got the POC gloves and elbow pads. Get them before you ride!

Cheryl K.

>Rating: 5

July 11, 2017

Light Weight HiTech Protection

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Fit:

Runs small

Size Bought

Medium

Height

6` 4"

Weight

165 lbs

These are great pads. Super low profile. They do fit pretty snug. Hopefully they will break in a little. I don't want to wear pads but I have seen what happens if you wreck and don't have some extra protection. I like the high tech concept of the VPD staying soft until impact. There are some cool youtube videos about how it works. Almost like it has AI built in. I would highly recommend all POC products and this is the place to get it! Be safe, use protection!

Cheryl K.

>Rating: 5

June 19, 2017

Love!

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

If you want maximum protection with less bulk and material, these are winners! The other elbow pads I tried, basically covered my entire arm. no thanks. these get the job done and stay put. my little elbows are safe from my guaranteed falls.

Emily Noll

>Rating: 1

June 10, 2017

Not Great

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

The pads are nice and flexible. If they stay in place. I rode a few times with them and they were ok. I was in an enduro race with them and one kept sliding down to my hand, was about to just let it go into the woods so it wouldn't be a distraction anymore. I'm probably going to the Fox sleeve style.

Nathan S.

>Rating: 5

May 2, 2017

Lightweight protection

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Fit:

True to size

I personally use the joint VPD 2.0 but my girlfriend did not want something that bulky so I got here these and this is what she had to say: These knee pads will definitely provide protection although they are lighter weight, so they are much less of a burden to throw in a backpack for the uphill sections of rides. The stretchy neoprene fabric and quick adjustable strap makes it easy to put these pads on, which is important when your buddies are waiting on ya. Overall I’d give them a thumbs up!

Joe Bolton

>Rating: 4

October 28, 2016

Pretty Darn Perfect Elbow Protection

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

As much as I don't care for any padding when biking, these fit well, are arid and comfortable. I have only worn them a few times, but haven't had any problems with them slipping to my wrists or stretching out. For an elbow pad, I still have plenty of movement capabilities to move my arms, and appreciate the extra protection they offer as who knows when that rear wheel is going to come out on a tight corner and your elbow is going to be there for the support.

Kevin Flanagan

>Rating: 4

September 27, 2016

Best for XC

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I will agree with prior post about them being small. But my caveat would be that lasts for 2-3 uses and then they stretch out to be pretty spot on. I got M, and being 5'10 170, the fit great. I would say that slippage is not an issue. I haven't had to test them in a crash but I would suspect they would hold well to anything that doesn't involve rocks...
Only downside in my opinion is that they don't breathe real well...FYI if you sweat like a piggy...

Todd B.

>Rating:

September 20, 2016

does this come with both elbow pads? or only one?

Robin A.

Kyle Livingston

September 21, 2016

Hey Robin - The price is for both Joint VPD Air Elbow Pads, they come as a pair. Feel free to contact me directly with any additional questions.
- Kyle L. - Expert Gearhead

>Rating: 4

August 31, 2016

No More Bruised Elbows!

Once I finally got into mountain biking last year, I learned rather quickly that it wasn't very forgiving... Bone bruise to the elbow, plenty of blood- it was time to step up the game and invest in a good pair of elbow pads. I had purchased the VPD Air knee pads prior, and LOVED how low profile and comfortable they were. These are the same! The fit is again on point- I went by the sizing chart and measured in between a S and M, and got the smaller so I didn't run into the slip issue. As of yet, no issue with them sliding down, though it's a minor struggle to pull them on (definitely worth it though). In the end, they look good, they feel good, and they WORK!

Kayla Weiser-Burton

>Rating: 4

August 22, 2016

Almost perfect

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

These elbow pads are great, they are comfortable, low profile, and hardly noticeable. The only down I side I have encountered with them is that they tend to slide down very easily. This doesn't happen all the time only on really hot days, so in the end the benefits really outweigh the one slight negative. All in all great product!

Ryan P.

>Rating: 5

June 19, 2016

Tips for a good fit

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Bought these when my last pads (TLD E-Lite, Size: L) started slipping down. I am a 6'4", 190# with small bones, thin arms, ride 70+ miles per week XC/trail. Bought the size:M in these elbow pads and wore them today for the first time. When I tried them on at home I was concerned - they felt tight...I stretched em out by hand a little. Today they were absolutely perfect. Wore them with the matching VPD Air knee pads. Both feel snug when you first pull them on at home. Even on the trail for the first minute you feel them. But then they go away completely. Very comfortable. Good looking to. Haven't crashed in em yet though, so...

Peter H.

>Rating: 4

March 23, 2016

Looks weird

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

I haven't used these yet but trying them on they looked really silly. I'll still use them since I'm not to worried about that since they are comfortable. They run small. I bought a medium and they fit great. I'm 5' 3" and weigh 120.

Amy L.

Kevin J.

June 29, 2016

Excellent Review!
You have NOTHING relative to 'review' since you haven't used them yet, but still offered up that 'they look really silly'. Never mind the fact that you obviously saw them before you made the purchase yet somehow weren't able to decide how they looked before you got 'em home, they look 90% like most other elbow/knee pads on the market. They're black with white block lettering. By themselves they may look bland, but they certainly don't look 'silly'. That leaves your arms....

>Rating: 2

December 24, 2015

Slips to wrists

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Fit:

Runs small

Size Bought

Large

Weight

175 lbs

Had these for a few months. They originally worked well, however after a couple of cold water washing and riding rocky, bumpy terrain (after all this is the terrain you would ride if you are wearing pads) these pads literally slipped down around my wrists. Having to stop and pull them back up every few miles. So frustrating. If they had a strap above the elbow rather than JUST below the elbow I think this would help to prevent the problem. Any way called competitive for a replacement or refund...sorry you have exceeded our return timeline. They asked me to call POC directly... I did and after some explanation and persuasion they upgraded my elbow pads to the POC joint VPD 2.0 Elbow Guard. These have the upper strap and lower strap. Just finished a pretty intense ride and these pads did not budge a bit and were extremely comfortable! Thanks to POC for helping me out. I wish competitive would have identified the flaw and design and helped me but it all worked out.

Thomas L.

>Rating: 2

December 20, 2015

Runs small

Fit:

Runs small

Height

5` 9"

Weight

175 lbs

I medium built with small arms,medium size wont even fit! It stays up to my forearms.

Lysander M.

>Rating: 5

October 10, 2015

Crash Approved

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

I've had them for a couple weeks and have no regrets with my purchase. When I first moved to Utah, I fell a lot while riding and quickly shredded my elbows. Once everything healed, I bought a pair of these. Since then, I wear them on every ride. I haven't had any issues with chafing or irritation. As the reviews below state, these don't slip. They have strips of grippy rubber on the inside to prevent just this. I usually forget I'm wearing them - until I feel a nice breeze come through the spandex. (On a side-note: when the above description says the sleeves on these are made of neoprene, don't read it as scuba neoprene. It's more like two layers of durable spandex). While I haven't had the privilege of falling in these yet, my dad has and he came out unscathed.
Regarding the fit - if you follow POC's size chart, they will fit perfectly. It told me I was a medium, and mine are great. They might feel extra-tight when you first receive them, but give them time and they'll break in to that perfect fit.